Dual cigarette pack



Nov. 7, 1961 P. F. CLEMENS DUAL CIGARETTE PACK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledJuly 28, 1959 Fig.4

Fig. 3

INVENTOR. PAUL F. CLEMENS States The present invention relates generallyto packaging and more particularly to a dual cigarette pack.

The general or primary object of the invention is to provide forpackaging of two diiferent kinds of cigarettes in a single container.For instance, one compartment could contain filter tips and the otherplain cigarettes, or plain and mentholated cigarettes, as a furtherexample, could be combined. The dual type pack is particularly usefulfor smokers who prefer to alter types of cigarettes, or for use byconsiderate gentlemen Whose wives or sweethearts prefer a second type ofcigarette. The dual pack is also ideal for use at parties and gatheringswhere various smokers may prefer different types of cigarettes as no onewishes to carry two individual packs.

An ancillary object of this invention is to provide a dual cigarettepack adapted to contain two different types of cigarettes separately andhaving means for opening each separate portion individually.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dual cigarette packhaving an outer sealing wrapper which is removable in such a manner thatone portion of the pack is kept closed while the other is in use.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dual cigarette packwhich is adaptable to both soft pack and hinged lid types of containers.

A further object of this invention is to provide a dual cigarette packwhich can be made, packed and wrapped with existing types of packagingmachinery.

Finally, it is an object to provide a dual cigarette pack of theaforementioned character which is simple and convenient to use and whichwill give full protection to the contents while allowing quick accessthereto.

With these and other objects definitely in view, this invention consistsin the novel construction, combination and arrangement of elements andportions, as will be hereinafter fully described in the specification,particularly pointed out in the claim, and illustrated in the drawingswhich form a material part of this disclosure, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the dual cigarette pack, completelyclosed and sealed;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view showing the outer Wrapper partiallyremoved and one compartment open;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 3, but showing analternative construction;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective View similar to FIGURE 2, showing analternative lid arrangement;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view similar to FIGURE 5, showing a furtherlid arrangement;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a soft pack embodying the structure ofthe dual pack; and

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of FIGURE 7, onecompartment being opened.

Similar characters of reference indicate similar or identical elementsand portions throughout the specification and throughout the views ofthe drawings.

Referring now to FIGURES 1-3 of the drawings, the pack includes acontainer 10 of stiff paper or cardboard, as used in conventionalcigarette packs, having a closed lower end 12. The upper end of thecontainer 10 has a pair of lids 14' and '16 hinged adjacent the centerthereof on spaced, parallel hinge portions 18 and 20 extendingtransversely across the container, sothat the lids open upwardly andinwardly. The lids 14 and 16 are tapered atent O and have lower edges 22extending outwardly and downwardly from the hinged ends thereof, thecontainer 10 being configured to fit said lids and havingcorrespondingly sloping, upper stop edges 24. When the lids 14 and 16are closed, with the lower edges 22 resting on the stop edges 24, saidlids are complementary to the principal portion of the container iii andform the upper portion thereof. Inside the container Iltl is a fixedliner 26 having guide portions 28 projecting above the stop edges 24,said guide portions fitting closely inside the lids l4- and 16 to guideand align the lids when closing and then to hold the lids closed. Foraccess to the cigarettes, the guide portion 28 are provided with notches30. The arrangement of each, individual lid 14 or 16, together with theliner 26 and the respective guide portion 28, is similar to that used inconventional single compartment cigarette packs and other types of lidconstruction may be used if desired.

The container 10 is provided with an inner partition 32 extending acrossthe container parallel to and between the hinge portions 18 and 20 andfor the full height of the container, to form two separate compartments34 and 36 therein. Surrounding and completely enclosing the container Itis an outer wrapper 33 of cellophane, or the like, which is applied tothe container and sealed in the conventional manner. The outer wrapper38 is provided with a tear strip 40 secured inside the wrapper andextending longitudinally around the center of the container 10,substantially in the plane of the partition 32 and passing between thehinge portions 18 and 20. One end of the tear strip 40 is exposed toserve as a pull tab 42, so that the outer wrapper 38 can be separatedfor removal from the container in the usual manner. However, the centraldisposition of the tear strip 4d allows the outer wrapper 38 to beseparated into two equal portions, each enclosing one side of thecontainer 10 and thus one compartment thereof. In the conventionalsingle compartment pack, the tear strip removes one end of the outerwrapper and exposes the entire openable portion, while the major portionof the wrapper remains in place on the permanently closed body of thepack. In the present dual compartment pack, one half of the outerwrapper 38 can be removed leaving one compartment still closed by theremaining half wrapper 44, as in FIGURES 2 and 3.

To simplify packaging and facilitate many different combinations ofcigarettes, the dual pack 48 may be made as illustrated in FIGURE 4,using a pair of individual containers 50 and 52 cemented or otherwisesecured together at a common face 54. The container 50 has a liner 56with guide portion 53 and a lid 60, hinged adjacent the common face 54.The container 52 similarly has a liner 56 with guide portion 58 and itsown lid 62, hinged at the common face 54. The lids 60 and 62 thus openupwardly and inwardly as in FIGURES 1-3. The use of two separatecontainers enables each to be packed separately with a specific type ofcigarette, any two containers being joined together to obtain therequired combination. The interconnected walls of the containers 50 and52 form a double partition 64 corresponding to the partition 32. Theinterconnected containers are closed in an outer wrapper as previouslydescribed, the half wrapper 44 being shown in place in FIGURE 4 with thelid '60 open and the container 52 still enclosed.

The dual pack 68 illustrated in FIGURE-5 is constructed from twocontainers 7 a and 72, but the containers are fixed together so thattheir lids 74 and 76 swing upwardly from one side of the pack in thesame direction, the construction of the containers being as describedfor FIGURE 4.

In FIGURE 6, the dual pack 78 is similar to that illustrated in FIGURE5, except that one container 72 is reversed so that the lids 74 and 76open in opposite directions. The particular advantage of thisarrangement is that regardless of which container is in use, the lid canbe opened with the same thumb action in a convenient manner.

The pack illustrated in FIGURES 7 and 8 is of the so-called soft packtype and comprises a container 80 having a closed end 82. Inside thecontainer 80 are two individual packages 84 and 86 enclosed in innerwrappers S8 and 0, of metallized paper or the like, each containingcigarettes indicated in broken line at 92. The container 80 is enclosedin an outer wrapper 38 with a tear strip 40 having a pull tab 42, aspreviously described. In FIG- URE 8, the outer wrapper has beenseparated leaving the half wrapper 44, and the exposed package 86 isopened while the package 84 is still enclosed.

In each instance, the pack contains two separate compartments which canbe opened individually, and is enclosed in a wrapper which may beremoved half at a time to expose one compartment while the other remainsenclosed.

The operation of this invention will be clearly comprehended from aconsideration of the foregoing description of the mechanical detailsthereof, taken in connection with the drawing and the above recitedobjects. It will be obvious that all said objects are amply achieved bythis invention It is understood that minor variation from the form ofthe invention disclosed hereinmay be made without departure from thespirit andscope of the invention, and that the specification anddrawings are to be considered as merely illustrative.

I claim:

A dual cigarette pack, comprising: a container having opposed faces anda closed lower end, the upper end of said container having twoseparately openable lids with hinge means on parallel axes adjacent saidopposed faces to open upwardly in opposite directions; dividing means insaid containers defining two individual compartments; an outer wrappercompletely enclosing said container; and wrapper separating meansextending around said container and passing between said hinge means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,256,965 Williams Feb. 19, 1918 2,042,073 Rose May 26, 1936 2,283,856Hoenig May 19, 1942 2,425,230 Cann Aug. 5, 1947 2,569,018 Priester Sept.25, 1951 2,665,834 Anglada Jan. 12, 1954

